Just ahead of the release of Ezra Claytan Daniels’s Upgrade Soul, for which he was the recipient of the 2017 McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics, Lion Forge has announced that the moving work of interactive science fiction will be developed by My Friend Dahmer producer Adam Goldworm’s Aperture Entertainment, with Ezra Claytan Daniels to serve as an executive producer.

“Upgrade Soul is the most unsettling yet thought-provoking graphic novel I have read since my old friend Marc Meyers brought me My Friend Dahmer,” says Aperture’s Adam Goldworm. “Ezra creates a magical, romantic, and terrifying vision of the world that asks big, timely questions and slowly peels away our preconceived notions until we end upwith unexpected and uncomfortable answers. Yet throughout the book, romance and hope color every frame, and between these two seemingly opposed worldviews lies the magic of Upgrade Soul and the beauty of Ezra’s creation.”

“My Friend Dahmer is without a doubt one of the greatest comic-to-screen adaptations of all time, and that owes largely to its uncompromising, singular vision,” says Ezra Claytan Daniels. “Aperture’s production on that film makes me confident that the idiosyncrasies of Upgrade Soul won’t have to be smoothed out for it to work as a film.”

Upgrade Soul is the story of an elderly couple who become the guineapigs of a visionary procedure that aims to revivify them by filtering toxins from their bodies on a molecular level. When the procedure experiences a fatal complication, the couple is faced with severely deformed, though intellectually superior, duplicates of themselves. Soon, it becomes clear that only one version of each individual can survive, and the psychological battle for dominance begins.

“Upgrade Soul is, quite simply, one of the best comics I’ve ever read,” says Andrea Colvin, Lion Forge Editor-in-Chief. “It is a poignantly touching examination of love, marriage, intellect, science, ethics, and mortality; but it’s also a thrilling page-turner of a story, with myriad twists and turns, and a breathless finale. I am beyond proud to be publishing this singularly unique book and can’t wait to see how it may be adapted for the screen.”

Adam Goldworm continues, “I think Ezra is the most exciting and unique new voice in comics, and I’m honored that he has let me help bring his masterpiece to the screen. I’ve been reading comics for the last three decades, and Upgrade Soul now sits on my shelf next to Art Spiegelman, Charles Burns, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and, of course, Derf Backderf. Reading Upgrade Soul, I felt the same sense of joyous discovery that I experienced reading My Friend Dahmer. I was instantly obsessed and knew I needed to see this on the big screen with the same level of quality, sincerity, and humanity that made My Friend Dahmer so impactful.”

Upgrade Soul will be released in finer bookstores everywhere on September 18.

Deadline reports that Netflix has secured the rights to Gina Prince-Bythewood’s female-fronted action film TheOld Guard, which is based on the comic book series by Greg Rucka and illustrator Leandro Fernández.

The feature stars Charlize Theron and If Beale Street Could Talk breakout KiKi Layne. Rucka is writing the screenplay.

The Old Guard tells the story of a small covert group of immortal mercenaries who must fight to keep their team together when they discover the existence of a new immortal and their extraordinary abilities are exposed.

Deadline is reporting that MGM has acquired the original spec script, Samaritan, from screenwriter Bragi F. Schut and Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions. As was previously reported, Stallone is attached to star in the film, which was announced as part of the forthcoming film slate from Stallone’s recently formed production banner.

Plot details are scarce but the pic has been described as a dark, fresh take on the superhero genre. MGM will develop the project with Stallone and Braden Aftergood of Balboa. Schut will serve as an executive producer.

The War Of The Realms is coming…and no corner of the Marvel Universe will be untouched! Today, Marvel is excited to release two new stunning variant covers: one by superstar artist Adi Granov and one by Ron Lim (with colors Israel Silva).

This April, all hell will break loose as Marvel’s epic event from the award-winning creative team of Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman, and Matthew Wilson usher in an event of unparalleled scale! Plus, don’t miss a special midnight release of WAR OF THE REALMS #1 for retailers – be sure to check Marvel mailers for details!

WAR OF THE REALMS #1 (of 6) Written by JASON AARON Art by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

​BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at the highly anticipated FIREFLY: BAD COMPANY #1, the first oversized special issue from the company’s sold out continuation of Joss Whedon’s sci-fi epic, in partnership with 20th Century Fox Consumer Products, giving us the secret origin story of the infamous Mrs. Reynolds, available in stores March 2019.

Writer Josh Lee Gordon and artists Francesco Mortarino (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Giuseppe Cafaro (Power Rangers: Soul of the Dragon), and Moy R. (Dinosaucers) reveal the long awaited origins of the most beloved Firefly character in the ’Verse—SAFFRON! Long before she was Yolanda or Saffron or Bridget, she was a pickpocket on the streets of an Alliance planet, close enough to touch the rich and admire their wealth yet too far to ever dream of being a part of their glamorous world. Go all the way back to the early days of Saffron’s story and learn how she became the extraordinary grifter and master thief who’s wreaked countless havoc throughout the ‘Verse and caused especial trouble for Serenity and her crew, including the current bounty on Mal’s head in the pages of Firefly...unless she’s lying about this, too.

FIREFLY: BAD COMPANY #1 features a main cover by Diego Galindo (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and a variant cover by Jamal Campbell (Green Arrow).

“Saffron is an enigma wrapped in a mystery surrounded by a puzzle, but at the heart of all the fake names and complicated lies is a woman who learned early on how to fend for herself and who knew that if she wanted anything in life, she had to go out and grab it,” said Jeanine Schaefer, Executive Editor, BOOM! Studios. “BAD COMPANY takes us on an eye-opening journey through Saffron’s early adventures as we discover the daring escapades that helped the infamous YoSaffBridge craft each new layer of mystery and intrigue around herself to become the baddest woman in the entire system.”

Created by Whedon and set 500 years in the future in the wake of a universal civil war, FIREFLY centers on the crew of Serenity, a small transport spaceship that doesn't have a planet to call home. Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds, a defeated soldier who opposed the unification of the planets by the totalitarian governed Alliance, will undertake any job — legal or not — to stay afloat and keep his crew fed. Thrust together by necessity but staying together out of loyalty, these disparate men and women are seeking adventure and the good life, but face constant challenges on the new frontier, such as avoiding capture by the Alliance, and evading the dangers you find on the fringes of the universe.

FIREFLY is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to a world-class group of licensed comic book series and ambitious original series, including Joss Whedon’s Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Planet of the Apes, Abbott, Mech Cadet Yu, Grass Kings, and Klaus.

Print copies of FIREFLY: BAD COMPANY #1 will be available for sale on March 20, 2019, exclusively at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one). Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and the BOOM! Studios app.

Image Comics is pleased to announce that New York Times bestselling creator Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine) and artist Stephanie Hans’ Die #1 is being rushed back to print for a fourth time to keep up with growing demand for the series.

Die is a pitch-black fantasy where a group of adults have to deal with the returning unearthly horror they barely survived as teenage role-players. The series is perhaps best described as “Goth Jumanji”—but that only captures a sliver of what you’ll find in this series where fantasy gets all too real.

Die #1, fourth printing (Diamond Code JAN198547) will be available on Wednesday, March 20. The final order cutoff deadline for comic shop retailers is Monday, Feb 25.

Die is also available for purchase across many digital platforms, including the official Image Comics iOS app, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.

Valiant Entertainment is excited to share the identities of the main characters of its upcoming sci-fi action series, PSI-LORDS, coming in June from writer Fred Van Lente (IVAR, TIMEWALKER; GENERATION ZERO) and artist Renato Guedes (SHADOWMAN). The character designs were rendered by concept artist Jonathan Arthur Ashley.

Meet Artisan, Beacon, Hazard, and Tank, four brand-new characters being added to the Valiant Universe! Are they the actual Psi-Lords? If not, who are the Psi-Lords, and what does this quartet have to do with them? More will be revealed in the coming weeks during the lead-up to the June 19 debut of PSI-LORDS #1!

For now, here's what Fred Van Lente has to say about each character:

“Artisan is one of these guys who's never had to do a hard day's work in his life because he charms his way out of every responsibility. Ironically, his power is he can create hard-energy constructs out of thin air, shape matter, and, basically, make whatever he can conceive. His cocky attitude disgusts an emotionally needy person who's desperate for people to like him.”

“Beacon is the outsider of the group—aloof, intellectual, introspective—not because others exclude her, but because she excludes herself. As her name implies, Beacon has a variety of light powers and can see on multiple levels of the electromagnetic spectrum.”

“Hazard's power set is very keyed to lifeforce—which can be both protective and ruthless in its drive for survival. No one is more shocked by her lethal skills than she is. She swings in mood extremes between a shy wallflower and a ruthless murderer.”

“Tank is pure will—he just barrels through whatever stands in his way. He's also the nurturing, emotional core of the group, the rock everyone else stands on when the you-know-what hits the fan. Think 'cheerful Juggernaut.'“

Rick and Morty™ comics creators Kyle Starks, Marc Ellerby, Andrew MacLean, Tini Howard, Jarrett Williams, Sarah Graley, Josh Trujillo, Rii Abrego, Benjamin Dewey, and Sarah Stern return for a special 50th issue of the Oni Press comic. Based on Adult Swim’s Emmy-Award winning series, this very special issue is filled with lots of memories... memories Morty would rather forget! Join us as we celebrate this milestone with a super oversized MORTY'S MINDBLOWERS issue with an introduction from Justin Roiland, the co-creator of Rick and Morty™ and the voice of Rick Sanchez!

Rick and Morty™ #50 celebrates the lineage of the first 49 Oni Press issues in this radical 48-page comic with 40 pages of story, all wrapped up in three covers with the first by Marc Ellerby and Sarah Stern, then two connecting covers by comic artist Matt Horak (Spider Man, Deadpool, Punisher).

“In a world of reboots, it is a remarkable achievement to hit 50 issues of a series, so let's celebrate!” said Oni Press Editor in Chief Sarah Gaydos. “We wanted to make sure our retailers and readers had a way to join the fun, and this insane mashup story is in honor of them and their support.”

And to add to the fun, we’re also throwing in limited reprints of the first original five issues written by Zac Gorman, illustrated by CJ Cannon, and colored by Ryan Hill, will have additional reprints with five new connecting covers by Marc Ellerby and Sarah Stern.

There will also be a very special limited run of Rick and Morty™ #1 Lenticular, which will be available in limited quantities at Awesome Con (April 26th-28th) and will also be available on the Oni Press website on May 29th.

Deadline reports that former Entourage star Adrian Grenier has been cast as the lead of Syfy pilot Cipher (working title), and Sydney Morton is set as a series regular in the AI drama from Allison Miller (Strange Angel) and Universal Content Productions.

In Cipher, following the recent death of his mother, 13-year-old video game junkie Asa’s (Gabriel Bateman) life changes yet again when his brain is implanted with one-of-a-kind computer technology, and the boy and his father John (Grenier) unwittingly find themselves at the center of the next great war – over artificial intelligence.

Grenier’s John returns to his hometown of Austin to raise his only child, Asa. When he learns that Asa’s life is in danger, John is forced to step up and protect his son.